1982 All State

FIRST TEAM

98 - Dave Smith, Coventry

105 - Bob Thomas, Warwick Vets

112 - Craig Benford, Central

119 - Jeff Thatcher, Burrillville

126 - Glenn Walsh, Cumberland

132 - Victor Rey, Cranston East

138 - Dan Charland, Cumberland

145 - Bruce Hutchison, Warren

155 - Carmen DiPietro, North Providence

167 - Bob DiMuccio, Smithfield

185 - Charles Gaffney, Coventry

275 - Ted Moskala, Bristol

SECOND TEAM

98 - Joe Monroe, Chariho

105 - Jim Allen, Toll Gate

112 - Rob Smith, Coventry

119 - Bob Soares, Warwick Vets

126 - Joe Franco, Bristol

132 - Jim Dennis, Toll Gate

138 - Steve Hiebner, Middletown

145 - Chris Joy, South Kingstown

155 - Steve Alves, West Warwick

167 - Scott Wilson, Middletown

185 - Jim Rolle, Pilgrim

275 - Tony Zulla, Coventry

His victories became so customary that his accomplishments often were taken for granted. But as a final tribute to his sensational schoolboy career, Cumberland's Dan Charland heads the selections named to the 1982 Journal-Bulletin All-Statewrestling team.

Charland, a senior, becomes one of the few wrestlers in history to be named to three consecutive first team selections as he captured the 138-pound berth on the 12-man first team.

Joining Charland on the first team are four grapplers named to the top squad for the second straight season. They are Charland's teammate, Glenn Walsh, Craig Benford of Central, Warwick's Bob Soares and Bruce Hutchison of Warren.

Coventry, the 1982 state and New England champion, joined Cumberland as the only other squad with wrestlers on the first team, Dave Smith at 98 pounds and Charles Gaffney at 185. The other first team selections are Bob Thomas of Warwick, Victor Rey of Cranston East, Carmine DiPietro of North Providence, Bob DiMuccio of Smithfield and Bristol's Ted Moskala.

Charland is believed to be the first Rhode Island schoolboy wrestler to win three consecutive R.I. and New England championships.

A runnerup in the state championship as a freshman, he posted an 85-1 record against R.I. competition over the past three years. He climaxed his career with an undefeated record this season, the second undefeated campaign of his career. Overall, he posted a 114-9 record against New England competition during his four-year career.

"Dan is the best schoolboy wrestler to come through the state that I have seen in my 13 years of coaching," said the Clippers' coach Steve Gordon.

"He never took anything for granted," Gordon continued. "He never laid back on what he had done in the past. He was an extremely hard worker and constantly was seeking to learn more about the sport."

Walsh earned his second first-team All-State selection during the 1981-82 season. The Clipper junior was the state individual cross-country champion in the fall and came back for his second state wrestling crown this winter and captured his first New England championship.

Injured early in the season, Walsh came back and took both the state and New England titles at 126. Last season he won the state crown at 119.

Moskala also earned his second first-team All-State berth during the 81-82 season. An All-State lineman in football, he dominated the state's heavyweight wrestlingclass this winter, capturing both the Suburban Division and state titles.

Benford, became the second member of his family to win the outstanding wrestler award in the New England tournament as the Central sophomore captured the 112-pound regional title. His brother, Booker, won the award last year.

The New England championshp climaxed a season in which Benford fought Coventry's Robb Smith for 112 supremacy. The two 1981 champions split in two regular-season meetings, but Benford clinched the first-team berth with victories over the Coventry sophomore in both the state and New England finals.

Dave Smith, Robb's younger brother, and Gaffney led Coventry to its first state title in eight years and their first New England championship.

Smith became the second freshman in history, his brother was the first, to earn a first-team All-State berth as he took top honors at 98 pounds. He captured all the major competition in the state's lightest weight class, including both the state and New England titles.

Gaffney also won both the state and regional crowns at 185 making him the unamious choice over Jim Rolle of Pilgrim, the second team selection.

Hutchison captured outstanding wrestler honors in the state meet en route to 145-pound title. He won the top team berth in a close contest with South Kingstown's Chris Joy, the second-team selection. Hutchison defeated Joy in both the state and Suburban Division finals.

Thomas at 105, Rey at 132, DiPietro at 155, and DiMuccio at 167 also dominated their classes throughout the season. Each captured their respective state titles and Thomas and DiPietro also added New England crowns.

Soares, the state champion at 112 last year, earned his second straight first-team berth in a close contest with Burrillville's Jeff Thatcher at 119. Soares dominated the regular-season competition taking the Coaches Invitational and All-Star meet titles. Thatcher upset Soares in the state finals, but Soares came back and won the New England crown.

Coventry also had three second team berths. Joining Robb Smith in the number-two squad were Mike O'Connell at 105 and Tony Zulla in the unlimited class.

The other second team selections are Joe Monroe of Narragansett at 98, Joe Bristol's Joe Branco at 126, John Palumbo of North Providence at 132, Steve Hiebner of Middletown at 138, West Warwick's Steve Alves at 155 and Scott Wilson of Middletown at 167.